This invention relates to a dispensing pump for use with hand held liquid containers; and more particularly to such a pump which can be placed in a locked condition to prevent leakage of liquid and to inhibit operation of the pump by children.
One object of this invention is to provide a dispensing pump for direct application to a variety of forms and sizes of liquid containers.
Another object of this invention is to provide a dispensing pump consisting of a minimum number of parts which may be fabricated from plastic material by high speed injection molding techniques, enabling economic manufacture.
A further object of this invention is to provide a pump for use with liquid containers which can be placed in a locked condition to inhibit or discourage operation of the pump by children.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a dispensing pump for containers which can be placed in a locked condition to enable shipping of filled containers with the pumps attached without leakage of the contents.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a dispensing pump for liquid containers including a closure adapted to coact with the container mouth to inhibit the removal of the pump from the container by children.
Another object of this invention is to provide a dispensing pump for use with containers, wherein the pump includes a closure for mounting in sealed relation to the container and to inhibit removal of the closure from the container by children, and where the pump can be placed in a locked condition to prevent leakage of fluid from the pump to inhibit operation of the pump by children.
A further particular object of this invention is to provide a dispensing pump for use with containers, whereby the pump may be placed in a locking condition to enable shipping of the container with attached pump without leakage, and where the pump is readily released from the locked condition by an adult user for immediate use.
These objects are accomplished in a pump which comprises in combination a base, a head and an actuator. The base comprises a closure for sealing engagement with the mouth of a container, and a central support barrel coaxial with the closure and the container mouth. The head comprises a body, a depending support stem, and an elongated hollow plunger projecting from the body. The body provides an inlet chamber communicating with the support stem; and the hollow plunger communicates with the inlet chamber. The actuator comprises a barrel slidably received over the plunger to provide a variable pump chamber, and provides a discharge orifice at the distal end of the barrel. A spring disposed in the pump chamber urges outward movement of the actuator relative to the head; and the base and actuator having coacting stop means to limit the outward movement of the actuator. Handle means is provided on the actuator for effecting inward movement thereof by the user.
More particularly the pump base, head and actuator have coacting structure to prevent disassembly without removing the pump from the container. Still more particularly the base, head and actuator have coacting structure to latch the plunger in a locked condition relative to the head thereby preventing pumping action; and in a manner to inhibit unlocking the plunger by children. Additionally, coacting structure seals the pump against leakage in the locked condition. Still more particularly the pump closure and container have coacting latching structure to inhibit removal of the pump from the container by children.
The novel features and the advantages of the invention, as well as additional objects thereof, will be understood more fully from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.